October is Cyber Security Awareness month and we want to raise awareness of cyber security and provide you with some useful tips for staying safe online and try to make it difficult for cyber criminals to gain access to your sensitive information.

1. Rule number 1- STOP! THINK! And only then ACT!
2. Password – ensure you use strong, unique passwords. Use password managers to create and log your passwords. Three random words is an excellent choice of password.
3. Think before you click – if a link looks a little off, think before you click! Criminals are devious and it could be an attempt to get sensitive information or install malware on your device. Similarly, if you receive a suspicious email from an address you do not recognise, DO NOT click on any links or open any attachments. By opening an attachment, you could be installing malware on your device – a popular method cyber criminals try to steal your personal details or infect your devices. Report these phishing attempts and delete the message.
4. Keep your software updated – as soon as you receive a software update notification, install immediately.
5. Back up your data – create a backup of your files to protect you from any sort of data loss.
6. Set up two-factor authentication on any account that offers it to maximise safety. We hope some of these tips will help you be more #CyberSmart.